Ida Ismail
The latest report of TALIS (International Survey of Teaching and Learning), conducted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), has brought to attention a contradictory picture of the Albanian education system.
According to the report, 92% of teachers believe they can design teaching tasks to accommodate students with special needs. 98% of them report that they are generally satisfied with their work, a figure higher than the OECD average. The country's Prime Minister Edi Rama described the TALIS report as a survey that shows the commitment of Albanian teachers to the profession.
"We have come out with a significant and positive result in this survey, lining up alongside countries that are not at all second-rate," said Rama.
But, while the report presents figures that at first glance seem positive, the reality on the ground, according to education experts, is far from these figures.
Education expert Isa Halilaj spoke about the decline in quality and interest in the teaching profession, emphasizing that Albania is facing a significant decline in the number of students and the closure of teaching departments in universities.
"We have a 30% drop in the number of students. The budget for education should be a priority and this profession should become an enviable one for young people," said Halilaj.
He added that although several new schools have been built, working conditions remain difficult, with laboratories and basic infrastructure lacking. According to him, the biggest problem remains the low budget, which currently stands at only 2.4% of GDP, among the lowest in the region.
Despite the declared efforts for digitalization and modernization, the results of the international PISA test remain the clearest indicator of the crisis in the Albanian education system. Albania continues to rank at the bottom of the list for math, science and reading, demonstrating a lack of basic knowledge, critical and creative thinking, as well as a deterioration in skills compared to previous years.
Halilaj says, "We also have problems with education reforms. Some branches in the exact sciences are closing every year. We still have shift teaching in the capital and collective classes in the peripheral areas. Teachers refuse to go to the mountainous areas because of the low salary."
In contrast to the official enthusiasm for teachers satisfied with their working conditions, education experts are calling for real reforms, investments in infrastructure, and budget increases, so that education does not remain just a statistic, but becomes a national priority. acqj.al
